[IceClass]

There is no problem with the DAC.
And yes you can.

 

[musicman59]

  Those who have had this amp/dac for awhile.. are you guys satisfied with it? How do you like it compared to other devices?
 
Can I use my current lh labs balanced dac and connect it to use the Mcintosh as a pure amp only?

I have had mine for probably about a year in a half. I bough the first unit that arrived at my dealer. I still love it. I also own the Wells Audio Enigma with upgrades almost to the level of the HeadTrip. I just finish the brake in process of it and will make comparison to the MHA100 later even that I already know I will keep both. 
Yes, I feed my MHA100 from the balanced output of my Bricasti M1 SE.

 

[Rossliew]

Can anyone advise if I can connect headphones direct to the speaker taps of a Mcintosh amp which uses the autoformers?

 

[onsionsi]

Can anyone advise if I can connect headphones direct to the speaker taps of a Mcintosh amp which uses the autoformers?

Yes you can use a panana Adaptor from a balanced end cable.
In fact musicman59 insrtuct me to use like this cable.

 

[Rossliew]

Yes you can use a panana Adaptor from a balanced end cable.
In fact musicman59 insrtuct me to use like this cable.

Thanks. I am worried the autoformers may act like a tube amp's output transformers thus requiring a resistor to be added on.

 

[musicman59]

Thanks. I am worried the autoformers may act like a tube amp's output transformers thus requiring a resistor to be added on.

The speaker tabs in them MHA100 are not connected to the Autoformers just the head[hones output.
If you take a look in a Macintosh speakers amplifier they have 3 set of tabs 2,4 and 8 ohms for the autoformers. The MHA100 only has one set of tabs.
In the front panel's left knob the most left position is for speakers with no options for different impedance then rotating it to the right you will find 3 different ohm settings ranges for normal gain and then 3 different ohm setting ranges for high gain. Those are for the autfomers and work only for the headphones output. The spellers out put is just 50 watts/ch at 8 ohms and work like any other SS amplifier.
 
Here is a piece of the manual where it talks about different impedances for the headphones output but just one for the speakers so no autoformers for the speakers output.
 
"
• Power Output
The MHA100 consists of a 50 watts per channel stereo Power Amplifier with less than 0.005% distortion.
The McIntosh MHA100 is designed for connection of a single 8 ohm Loudspeaker per channel. The Power Amplifier uses ThermalTrak1 Output Transistors for lower distortion and cool operation.
• Autoformer Designed for Headphones
The MHA100 is the first McIntosh Amplifier using a specially designed Autoformer for Headphones. There are three selectable impedances ranges, allow connec- ion of Headphones from 8 ohms thru 600 ohms. "
 
 

 

[Rossliew]

  The speaker tabs in them MHA100 are not connected to the Autoformers just the head[hones output.
If you take a look in a Macintosh speakers amplifier they have 3 set of tabs 2,4 and 8 ohms for the autoformers. The MHA100 only has one set of tabs.
In the front panel's left knob the most left position is for speakers with no options for different impedance then rotating it to the right you will find 3 different ohm settings ranges for normal gain and then 3 different ohm setting ranges for high gain. Those are for the autfomers and work only for the headphones output. The spellers out put is just 50 watts/ch at 8 ohms and work like any other SS amplifier.
 
Here is a piece of the manual where it talks about different impedances for the headphones output but just one for the speakers so no autoformers for the speakers output.
 
"
• Power Output
The MHA100 consists of a 50 watts per channel stereo Power Amplifier with less than 0.005% distortion.
The McIntosh MHA100 is designed for connection of a single 8 ohm Loudspeaker per channel. The Power Amplifier uses ThermalTrak1 Output Transistors for lower distortion and cool operation.
• Autoformer Designed for Headphones
The MHA100 is the first McIntosh Amplifier using a specially designed Autoformer for Headphones. There are three selectable impedances ranges, allow connec- ion of Headphones from 8 ohms thru 600 ohms. "
 
 

Noted with thanks. My reason for asking is because i see a nice used McIntosh power amp for sale at a local forum and it has autoformers in place. So, in event I purchased the power amp, can i safely connect my headphones directly to the speaker taps then? 
 
Apologies for the confusion taking note that this is in fact a MHA100 thread

 

[musicman59]

Noted with thanks. My reason for asking is because i see a nice used McIntosh power amp for sale at a local forum and it has autoformers in place. So, in event I purchased the power amp, can i safely connect my headphones directly to the speaker taps then? 

Apologies for the confusion taking note that this is in fact a MHA100 thread

I don't know why would be different to any other 8 ohms rated output SS amplifier if you connect the headphones to the 8 ohms tab of the amplifier.

 

[groovyd]

I don't know why would be different to any other 8 ohms rated output SS amplifier if you connect the headphones to the 8 ohms tab of the amplifier.

Start at volume 0 as the voltage will most certainly be much much higher then your headphones are designed for.  I would start by adding a high value resistor and backing it down as you find the right volume gain just incase.

 

[Rossliew]

I don't know why would be different to any other 8 ohms rated output SS amplifier if you connect the headphones to the 8 ohms tab of the amplifier.

Yes, that makes sense then

Start at volume 0 as the voltage will most certainly be much much higher then your headphones are designed for.  I would start by adding a high value resistor and backing it down as you find the right volume gain just incase.

good advice to start at zero volume but to add a resistor to it would further waste output power to the headphones, no?

 

[groovyd]

Yes, that makes sense then
good advice to start at zero volume but to add a resistor to it would further waste output power to the headphones, no?

here's the thing... until you find the sweet spot of power and volume setting better safe then sorry.  headphones are not expecting speaker level voltages and adding a resistor will give you much more play on the knob without blowing them up.

 

[m8o]

Yes, that makes sense then
good advice to start at zero volume but to add a resistor to it would further waste output power to the headphones, no?

...yes, and, make it act as a constance current source the higher you go over the impedance of the headphone you have connected to it.

At the save time, what groovyd says is true too. Haha

 

[musicman59]

Yes, that makes sense then
good advice to start at zero volume but to add a resistor to it would further waste output power to the headphones, no?

What headphones are you planning on using wit the MHA100 speaker tabs?

 

[Rossliew]

  What headphones are you planning on using wit the MHA100 speaker tabs?

Only what i have in hand currently i.e. HD600, Oppo PM2, T1 Gen 2 and a humble Grado SR125e  
 
Was actually planning on getting a used Mc power amp when it pops up for sale locally

 

[musicman59]

Only what i have in hand currently i.e. HD600, Oppo PM2, T1 Gen 2 and a humble Grado SR125e  

Was actually planning on getting a used Mc power amp when it pops up for sale locally

All hose a fairly efficient headphones that really do not require a speakers amp follower them correctly. Why do you want to go on that direction?